A total of ten finalists have been selected for the “Judges’ Choice Award” and “Clean & Safe Air Travel” categories of the Crystal Cabin Award. The winners will be announced on 15 September during the virtual Aircraft Interiors Expo.

The final shortlist for the Crystal Cabin Award special category “Clean & Safe Air Travel” includes:

The Holographic Controller from US company Rosen Aviation eliminates the need for buttons. With this futuristic control panel, functions in the galley, for example, can be activated and operated using infra-red and motion sensors, so that cabin crew members don’t have to touch surfaces.

Safran Cabin’s Beacon Clean Lavatory is a concept for antimicrobial surfaces in the cabin bathroom with components that can be used without contact as far as possible.

Lilac-UV from Collins Aerospace allows both cabin crew and passengers to activate an ultraviolet disinfection lamp above the passenger seat during the flight for reliable occasional cleaning.

MGRSafeWall is an aircraft cabin anti-microbial protection system developed in direct response to the pandemic and has been proven 99% effective against SARS-CoV-2, the actual virus that causes COVID-19. MGRSafeWall provides effective, safe, long-term inherent protection against a wide range of threats and hence will provide long-term enhanced hygiene. MGRSafeWall is simple to apply, has excellent flammability characteristics, is highly resistant to wear, abrasion and all types of cleaning processes.

Les Simpson, CEO of MGR Foamtex commented: “This is very exciting news and demonstrates both our confidence in the future and our continued investment in the development of new products. MGRSafeWall really brings a higher level of protection and technology to the aircraft cabin and MGR is very proud to have brought this product to market.”

CleanAir from finalist Villinger GmbH promises to make germs and viruses harmless. This air filter makes use of thousands of ionising micro-electrodes which make it possible to absorb particles substantially smaller than what is required by the current HEPA standard. Furthermore, the filter does not create ozone or nitric oxide as by-products.

“Judges’ Choice Award” honours entries that impressed the international jury in 2021. Toyota Boshoku is nominated for two ideas. The Japanese interior specialist’s CLOUD CAPSULE CONCEPT offers economy passengers the option of climbing into a bunk bed berth in addition to their seat. The POSITIVELY ECONOMY concept delivers three economy classes in one: an innovative eco-seat at the window, a personalised Premium Economy class, and Premium Plus seating in the centre with more space and privacy.

Safran Seats (in cooperation with Universal Movement) is recognised for foldable Interspace wings, another concept promising a more peaceful experience for individual passengers. The wings, which can be retrofitted to economy and domestic business class seats, fold out of the backrest when required, providing both comfort and a protective screen between adjacent seats.

Rosen Aviation is nominated for The Maverick Project, a private jet cabin full of digital highlights and intuitive control panels and applications, developed in cooperation with SKY Style and KIPCreating, that learn from passenger behaviour.

Austria’s FACC AG and its cooperation partners FH Joanneum, Netwiss, Raltec research group, Rodlauer Consulting, TU Vienna, FFG, and BMVIT are also aiming to make an aircraft that is more accessible to everyone. On short-haul and medium-haul single-aisle aircraft, the lavatories are not really barrier-free, because the space for toilets is limited by the demand to maximise seating capacity. LAV4ALL promises 100% disabled-accessible aircraft lavatories for retrofit in aircraft ranging from the Airbus A320 up to wide-bodied jets.

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